Where to sit, sip and slow down in Galway.
Coffee shops, bakeries with seats and the places Galway lingers in over a cortado.
Coffeewerk and Press on Quay Street Galway is among the world's best cafes, pairing specialty coffee from rotating roasters with design objects.
Signature drink: Specialty espresso and filter
Tip: The ground-floor bar is great for a quick espresso; the upper floor is calmer for a longer stay.
Dela on Lower Dominick Street Galway runs a seven-day brunch service from 09:30 with farm-to-table plates, natural wines and specialty coffee.
Signature drink: Specialty coffee
Tip: The brunch menu is the main event; the dinner-only Thursday through Saturday extends the offering considerably.
Ard Bia at Nimmos Cafe in Galway is a medieval stone room at the Spanish Arch serving breakfast and a weekend brunch with North African plates.
Signature drink: Filter coffee
Tip: The riverside garden opens in warm weather; arrive early on weekend mornings to secure a table.
Tribe Coffee Shop on St Francis Street is Galway's plant-based cafe serving specialty coffee with plant-based milks, vegan snacks and baked goods.
Signature drink: Plant-based espresso
Tip: One of very few fully plant-based cafes in the city; worth seeking out for a breakfast before the Latin Quarter gets busy.
Mocha Beans on Cross Street Lower is a Galway-roasted specialty coffee bar serving the in-house blend that has anchored the family roastery since 1997.
Signature drink: Mocha Beans house blend espresso, roasted in Galway since 1997
Tip: One of seven Mocha Beans locations across Galway; the Cross Street bar sits in the heart of the Latin Quarter for a quick espresso between sights.
Corrib House Cafe in Galway is a restored Georgian townhouse on the Corrib riverbank serving freshly baked scones, cakes and light plates in a serene setting.
Signature drink: Loose-leaf tea selection
Tip: The garden in summer is Galway's quietest outdoor eating spot; closed Mondays.
Urban Grind on William Street West is a Galway locals-favourite cafe with a small patio, vegan and vegetarian options and good coffee at student prices.
Signature drink: Specialty espresso
Tip: The back patio on sunny days is worth getting there early for; one of Galway's most genuinely local cafes.
Re Coffee and Design in Salthill Galway serves Bell Lane direct-trade beans alongside design objects in a calm room before the promenade walk.
Signature drink: Bell Lane single-origin filter
Tip: A quieter alternative to Quay Street cafes; the filter coffee is among the best in the city.
Plamas on Upper Dominick Street Galway is a compact Westend cafe serving Geometry Coffee Roasters house blend alongside simple breakfast and lunch plates.
Signature drink: Geometry Coffee house blend
Tip: One of the few Galway cafes that sources its coffee from the Galway-region roaster Geometry; worth noting for local coffee provenance.
Cutthroat Coffee in the Cornstore off Cross Street Lower is a Galway specialty bar running espresso and pour-over from rotating roasters in the Latin Quarter.
Signature drink: Specialty espresso, pour-over
Tip: A good flat white stop when Coffeewerk is full; the pour-over selection rotates with seasonal roasts.
Gourmet Tart Co across six Galway locations is the most-visited patisserie cafe in the city, open from 07:00 with French-style tarts and pastries.
Signature drink: Coffee and tart
Tip: The Salthill branch at Lenaboy Gardens is steps from the promenade; a reliable first stop before a morning walk.
An Tobar Nua on Lower Dominick Street is a busy Westend Galway cafe serving soups, salads, bagels and homemade desserts at prices that suit locals.
Signature drink: Coffee, fresh juices
Tip: The soups change daily and are among the best-value lunches in the Westend; worth checking the specials board.
Espresso 44 on William Street is a popular Galway coffee stop with multiple city-centre locations, known for reliable espresso and a simple breakfast.
Signature drink: House espresso
Tip: Multiple branches across the city; the original William Street location is the most central.
Blackrock Cottage beside the Salthill Diving Tower in Galway is a cafe-restaurant with specialty coffee, light bites and chowder overlooking Galway Bay.
Signature drink: Coffee with sea view
Tip: Arrive early at weekends; the sea-facing seats above Salthill Diving Tower sell out first.
Jemi Lighthouse on Abbeygate Street Upper is a warm family-run Galway cafe serving homemade vegan and vegetarian lunches and baked treats since 2017.
Signature drink: Specialty coffee, loose-leaf tea
Tip: Closed Sundays; the homemade soups and savoury plates are the focus and worth the lunch-hour visit.
Mr Waffle on Newcastle Road is a Galway family-friendly cafe specialising in sweet and savoury waffles and crepes alongside a full breakfast and lunch menu.
Signature drink: Coffee with waffles
Tip: The waffles are the reason to come; order sweet and savoury across the table to compare.
Greens and Co is Galway's highest-rated vegan cafe according to HappyCow, with a kitchen that takes plant-based food seriously and a devoted local following.
Signature drink: Oat milk flat white
Tip: A fully vegan kitchen; the baked goods change daily and the savoury plates rotate with the season.
Dangan House Cafe in Galway is set in a refurbished 19th-century grain store within a garden centre, serving coffee, sweet treats, toasties and curries.
Signature drink: Coffee and herbal teas
Tip: The Wine and Jazz evenings are worth checking the schedule for; the garden centre setting is calming on a weekday morning.
Kai Restaurant Cafe's walk-in lunch in Galway from Tuesday to Saturday is the most accessible way to experience Jess Murphy's Michelin Green Star kitchen.
Signature drink: Specialty coffee
Tip: No reservations for lunch; arrive at 12:00 to guarantee a seat as the room is small and fills within 30 minutes.
Top Shelf Coffee Bar on Fairgreen Road is a Galway specialty coffee spot near the market area, with well-executed espresso drinks and a loyal morning crowd.
Signature drink: Specialty espresso
Tip: A reliable specialty coffee option close to Eyre Square without the tourist-area crowds.